Beauty is in the Eye of the Holder
by Jay Foren
Summary: Short drabbles surrounding the innermost chambers of Zelda's mind.
1. Chapter 1

_You told me I was beautiful,_

_That you would run a thousand miles,_

_Just to catch a glimpse of my face._

_That you'd break all the laws in Hyrule,_

_Just to catch one final look,_

_Before I swept my skirts out of the room._

But you lied Link. I look into this mirror and I see not a beautiful face. No, I see a cracked soul, bound by the chains of an endless cycle. I see a play piece. To be honest, it makes sense you would love me. You're a play piece too. You've also been chosen to hold a destiny larger than anyone else. You also have to contemplate every thought and action you have.

We're alike, but we're totally different. The same and nothing to do with each other. The raindrop on the leaf. We'll stay together for a little bit, and then one of us will slip away leaving nothing but a trail behind.

You don't know what I go through. The memories flood me; make it hard to know what's real. Sometimes they're okay, a family being reunited, a home being built. However, most of the time they're not; they're of things being burned, people being killed. Killed by you. Sometimes I remember my mother crying. I don't know which mother it is or was.

I wake up terrified all the time. I never know if my dreams are visions or nightmares. Even if they're not visions of this life, they'll likely come into play in the future. I dread every one.

I guess it's the Hylia in me, but I'm worried about everything. I don't know why. Dumb, you say. Untrue, you tell me. Nothing will happen, you assure me. Then you realize what you said and try to save yourself. I'm here to protect you; you try to make me believe. It only makes me wonder what you think I am. Hopeless, stupid, defenseless, or maybe the term damsel in distress suits me better? My superstitions are usually right, but you don't and never will listen. I can't blame you though; you're used to running head first into danger, dealing with the consequences later.

Now you know why I've declined your proposal, why I'll never accept. It's because you care about what's on the outside, golden locks, blue eyes, perfect complexion. But you don't care about what's on the inside, what really matters. When it comes to me your clueless.

Now if only I could work up the courage to say this to your face, and the power to get you away from me.

So instead _I'll say yes._

* * *

><p><em>It's sorta something I've worked out. One of them needs all three in order to be a winner. For example, Zelda would need both Courage and Power to rule effectively. If she lacks in those departments, she might ot be able to rule her country with an iron fist.<em>

_Ganondorf would need Wisdom to win the battle and Courage to actually go out and fight Link instead of waiting for him to come to him._

_Link would need Power and Wisdom in order to get through challenges._


	2. Black Rose

She's a black rose, for there are many flaws to her. She knows they're the deepest key to her heart, that she'll cry if she looks at one. But she holds one close to her heart anyways, because it reminds her that the rose is not red, not pink. That some petals fall off of hers.

She's not perfect, and looking at that rose reminds her of it. Some days she doesn't want to be reminded. So she grabs three or four petals off, throws them on the ground and walks away. She knows it's her heart she's shredding, but isn't that why she's doing this? Isn't she trying to punish herself for not doing something, not telling him to stay? Isn't it because he left her because she wasn't perfect, and she didn't say something?

No, it all goes back to one thing, that goddess forsaken triangle that glowed on the back of her hand. Then it leads to other things, like him leaving, and her not being perfect. It's the triangle that reminds her of those things and the rose is just filler for when she doesn't want to look at that triangle, be reminded of their connection, and that he left her anyways.

She was placed on this planet for a reason, and she can't seem to find out why. It couldn't have been just to look pretty in a cage while the he came and saved her, couldn't have been to cry as he left. So then what was was it? She looks at all the other things in her life, sitting pretty for the world, trying on fancy gowns, and realizes she should be happy. But she isn't, because he isn't here to hold her, to protect her.

She knows that if she tries to change that black rose into a red one, it will be even worse. The petals will curl and fall off, and the nailpolish/eyeshadow/coverup/lipstick/lipgloss/lipbalm/eyeliner/blush won't stick. Instead, it will peel, and the black will shine through. And why would someone perfect pretend to be imperfect? So instead it shows the exact opposite, that she's barely close to being perfect and she's trying too hard to get to is perfect. Because she hopes, some wicked part of her, that he'll see her face in a newspaper and come back to her.

But she's tried to change that rose one to many times, and now there are hardly any petals left. The nailpolish/eyeshadow/coverup/lipstick/lipgloss/lipbalm/eyeliner/blush drips into her soul bit by bit. She knows there's only one way to fix it, but she can't bring herself to do it. But then the memories strike her, so vivid and strong, that she knows now. Knows it will end all of her pain.

She feeds that rose to the fire, bit by bit. The nailpolish/eyeshadow/coverup/lipstick/lipgloss/lipbalm/eyeliner leaves her soul and she feels free again. The memories that troubled her for so long leave.

And then he does come back, but she turns him away. She grieved for him for so long, won't let him back into her life so she can think of him again. She's learned her lesson now, that he's an adventurer, won't stay in one place to long. Now that she's free, she won't be captured again.

* * *

><p><em>I'm depressed now. Joy.<em>

_-Jay Foren_


	3. Leap, run, hide, stay away

run,leap,hide,stayaway,run,leap,hide,stayaway. No one can protect her now, no guards flanking her and soilders obeying her every call. No sheikah nursemaid to hughertosleepandtuckherin and tellherit'salrighteventhoughitisn't She misses her, but she knows she has a duty to her kingdom.

So she bears that Sheikah mark with P.R.I.D.E, even though she doesn't have any.

She saves herself from him with S.L.Y.N.E.S.S. She doesn't remember having any.

She hides from him with G.L.E.E. She doesn't know why.

She walks up to that hero with C.O.U.R.A.G.E, even though she doesn't have any of that either.

She saves that other princess with C.O.M.P.A.S.S.I.O.N. She could have sworn she'd lost it long ago.

She fights that beast with P.O.W.E.R. There's no way she ever had any of that.

She saves that other princess with C.O.M.P.A.S.S.I.O.N. She could have sworn she'd lost it long ago.

She reveals herself with S.T.U.P.I.D.I.T.Y. None.

She bangs on the crystal with A.N.G.E.R. Doesn't know where she got it.

She kills him with L.I.G.H.T. She doesn't know where it is in that dark twisted soul.

sheneverused W.I.S.D.O.M. guessshegottheuselessgift.

* * *

><p><em>This is an idea I've been toying with for a while.<em>

_-Jay Foren_


	4. A Little of Each

She looks back and realizes she had a little of each in her all along.

Courage, she'd faced him, hid for so long when she knew she'd be caught.

Power, the ability to make her own choices.

Forest, The rebellious inside on a pretty, easily broken face.

Fire, never stopping, never bowing, never breathing till he was dead.

Water, the soothing calm and patience to wait.

Shadow, knowing she would win, seeing past his evil and seeing the truth.

Spirit, never giving up.

she, is, all, powerful.


	5. Loathing

She absolutely loathes destiny. It's not because it renders her helpless, and not because it tore down her country. No, she loathes destiny, because it made her meet him.

And she loathes him, because in a way, he's the source of all her troubles. The only reason Ganondorf killed so many was to destroy the rebellion, and if he hadn't existed, it would've been so much easier to surrender. To give up.

If he hadn't existed, he would've never broken her heart so many times either. She knows she loves him, but she's not sure where his loyalties lie. She knows most of the friends he met along his journey are female, and she accepts that, and won't keep that from him. However, it's harder to understand this when she finds him making out with the farm girl in the horse stables.

Because he exists, she is supposed to be absolutely helpless. It's like her whole life revolves around him saving her, her falling love with him. It's not like that though, as she is stronger than that, but no one believes her. No one believes her when she says she doesn't need him. Because, they reason, he had to save you in the first place. What makes you think he won't again?

She knows he would, and will again, but she also knows they don't love each other, don't understand each other, don't know each other.

So yes, she absolutely loathes destiny. But she absolutely loathes him too.


	6. Power Corrupts even those with Wisdom

She's not supposed to care what the critics think. She is their princess, and they will bow before her. But she just feels so helpless.

She enters the temple, and she prays. When she's done, a burning sensation spreads through her hand. Two triangles now adjourn a place where one was once alone.

Those that questioned her get questioned back; those that called her weak get challenged to a brawl. She wins easily of course.

Princess Zelda, they cry, please do not harm me. They die.

Stop, some small part of her cries, your becoming just like him.

She loves it.


	7. Once on the Same Side

**_This, was originally written with Coldplay lyrics in front. They were Rhianna's part in Princess of China._**

_He never could handle it, the everlasting fighting, the tears, the injury, that burning pain in the back of his hand that he never quite knew what it was. But she assumed, assumed that just because she was there, there to hold his hand, and help cry him to sleep, that it would be all right._

_Three of her nightly guards dead. _

_She assumes again, because she doesn't want to blame him. She loves him, for Nayru and Din and Farore and whoever else will listen's sake. And according to him, he loves her as well. So he goes out (probably, for someone of wisdom, not the brightest idea) and looks for a serial killer._

_Two more._

_One night, she wakes up. He's beside her, and she assumes again. That because he's worried, he decided to protect her. She goes back to sleep._

_She calls off the watch. Does she really need it if he, that intoxicating scent and feeling, will protect her? No more guards die._

_She wakes up again. And it is lucky she does so, for he stands before her, a knife to her throat._

"_Don't yell, don't scream, don't cry. I don't want to tear down this kingdom. I'm leaving." She waits until he's gone to break down. _


	8. Call me Queen

They call her princess. Why isn't she queen? Mi'lady? Mi'queen.

Is it because she failed to protect them, even though she gave everything before letting them go? Let them wander around, lost, unable to find their home?

Is it because she yanked a young boy out of home and safety, relied on him to restore the beauty to their land?

Or is it because of the triangle that's appeared? Glowing boldly on the back of her hand?

Maybe that's why. For that triangle brings naught but pain and struggles to her land.


End file.
